Learning to Love Dixon
by hblankenship
Summary: Beth and Daryl are on the run after the fall of the prison. This story picks up exactly from where they run away, and how they cope with life and each other. The story is a whole lot better than the summary, I promise! A big thanks to Robert Kirkman and his wonderful comics! Disclaimer: I, in no way, own these lovely characters and ideas.
1. Chapter 1

Smoke was bellowing through the air. You could hear walkers from as far away as a mile. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I was running, as far away from that prison as possible. I thought we had it good at the prison, that we were done moving, settled. It was finally starting to feel like home, and the Governor had to destroy it all. My life, my daddy, my friends, everything was taken from me in an instant, and without a care.

Daryl and I had been running for what seemed like hours when I finally collapsed. The weight of the world had finally got to me. I felt as if I did on the farm, whenever Momma was killed. I couldn't bear losing people, but I knew I had to be strong. Daddy said we all had jobs, and mine was to stay strong. I know that people are gonna die, that's just the type of world we live in now. But I didn't expect that people could be that horrid.

Daryl said that moving was best, atleast until nightfall. I'm glad that I escaped with someone who is capable of being strong. Someone who can stand on their own, but has too much of a heart just to be alone.

We set up camp in the woods. I wanted to thank him for being with me, but he just sat idly, not saying a word.

Everyone thinks that I am incapable. That I am weak. I'm just some stupid teenage girl that cannot manage on my own. I try my hardest to be Godly, I want to give everyone a fair chance. That's kinda hard when people destroy your whole life without warning. But here's the thing, there are good people everywhere, you just don't know it yet.

I had decided that I wanted to get flat out drunk. It was forbidden in my house after Daddy had quit his bad drinking. I've just had so much going on, I need to forget. It's time to move on.

"Daryl. I need a drink."

He looked at me like everyone else did. That I didn't know what I was talking about. But for one thing, I was certain that I wanted to get sloppy drunk and forget the pain for a while.

"I'm eighteen now, Daryl. I'm not a child! You don't need to look after me! I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

After not receiving an answer, I decided just to leave. It's not like he cared about my well-being anyways.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry about the shortness, it's hard to go off of the beginning of the tv shows, where there is little dialogue. The story will progress, it's just slow right now where I'm trying to catch up to where I need to be! Hope you enjoy this chapter! There are more to come! :) **

I found myself in some trouble right after I left. It was only one walker, and I knew I could've handled it, it just caught me off guard. There I was, all ready to kill it, and stupid-head Daryl thought he was doing me a favor, and shot an arrow straight through the skull.

"I had it! I can do it! I'm not some little girl anymore. It really kinda sucks that everyone feels that way! 'Oh, poor Beth. The little girl that tried to kill herself.' I'm sick of it! I'm not that person anymore! I'm strong and I can manage!"

Daryl looked down, and the silence continued.

"Look, Daryl, I know you didn't want to be stuck with me! There were so many other people in our group that are tough like you, but I survived. And you can't comprehend how. The girl that always stood in the shadows, yeah she outlived the great ones, Michonne, Rick, Maggie. I'm alive and here and you won't even acknowledge that! I might as well just be on my own!"

Now Daryl was angry, and it was noticeable in every way possible.

"Well girl, maybe I didn't have a choice of who escaped the prison with me! Maybe I don't want no kid followin' me around, and me havin' to protect ya! If anyone's better on their own, it's me! And you best get your head on straight! Girl, you don't need nothin' to drink any damn ways. You're just a kid!"

With that response, I stormed off through the woods. Now, I mostly wanted a drink just to piss Daryl off.

He, of course, followed be, but I was to focused on alcohol to notice him.

We came across a country club after a couple of hours of walking. There has to be some form of alcohol there! Drunk rich people, right?

As soon as we walked in, all you could see was dead bodies. The stench was almost unbearable, but I had to find something. Daryl, to my disbelief, started to pick up all of the money sitting around! I didn't understand, it's worthless now anyways. I just kinda ignored him, and kept walking. We came through the first room, and into the hallway, where a clock had fallen, blocking our way through. Daryl lifted it up, and it immediately started to chime.

Ding...Ding...Ding...

It was as if someone rang the dinner bell, and, boy, were there lots to be served. Walkers came out of everywhere. Daryl grabbed my hand and pulled me through the maze-like country club. Everything is a blur when it comes to surviving. You run fast, and don't think. You just do.

We stopped in a golf store when we gained space between the walkers.

Over in the corner, someone had placed a rotten corpse over mannequin legs, and left a sign dangling over her neck, 'Rich Bitch'. I couldn't believe that people would sink that low!

"Daryl we have to get her down!"

He looked at me with confusion. "Why? She's already dead. She's not gonna getcha!"

I started to get her down, and said under my breath, "but still, she deserves better.."

Daryl, instead of helping me get her down, places a sheet over her.

"Better?" He asked. I could tell he was annoyed with my efforts.

I circled around the store, looking for any form of alcohol, but got distracted by a rack of clothes. Mine were ratty-looking, and I deserved them! So, I grabbed a bright yellow polo and a white cardigan, and changed into them.

While I was glancing into the mirror, checking out my new outfit, the moans of the walkers came back. I rushed to help, but was outshined by 'Mr. Dixon', who grabbed a golf club, and started beating the walkers one by one. I know he was just doing what he had to to survive, but he was completely inconsiderate when it came to slinging walker blood. My brand new outfit was now covered in blood from a disemboweled walker head. You can't ever look cute in a world like this, and now I was surely convinced of that.

I finished looking for the store, and walked through a door that leaded into a... Bar! I was overjoyed! I ran excitedly through the place, sorting through empty, broken bottles. Between every full bottle that I didn't find, I was losing hope.

Daryl was in the corner, throwing darts at the pictures of the founders of the club when I finally found what I was looking for!

"Peach schnapps, it's good isn't it? I guess it will have to do!" I searched for a glass, but with fail, I decided just to drink it from the bottle. As I popped the top, everything rushed back to me. Daddy was dead, I couldn't find Maggie, or the rest in the group, I was stuck with someone who both treated me like a child, and ignored me unless he had to 'save me'. I just wanted everything to be back to the way it used to be. Before all of this started. I lost everything, and had been strong nearly all the time. But not now.

I sat crying, reflecting my life, and Daryl approached. "Come on girl, you don't need that. You first drink ain't gonna be no damn peach schnapps." And with that, he threw my bottle against the wall. He pulled me out the door, and we just kept walking.


	3. Chapter 3

**Every few chapters or so I will throw in some of Daryl's point of view! I think it's kinda important to see how both characters develop as the story progresses! Enjoy :) **

Girl wanted her first drink to be damn peach schnapps. Ha! I'll show her somethin' that'll really ruffle them feathers of hers.

Ever since we got stuck together, all she does is whine and pout. It might be understandable if she was actually poutin' bout her dead dad maybe, but all the girl wanted was a damn drink! I guess this world can harden the most unlikely people.

I don't really know what to say to her. I coulda helped her daddy. He was a great man, and I couldn't do anything to save him. I coulda saved a lot of people...

I'm takin' the girl to some cabin I found on a run one day. Place was full of moonshine. But lemme tell you one thing, the girl best drink up after all the trouble she's put us through. Honestly I don't think she can handle shine. Maybe it'll teach her a lesson on drinkin' though: this world is not the place for it.

I'm glad that I'm not alone. Beth thinks I'd be better on my own, and she hers, but for once in my life there ain't nobody bitchin' at me, tellin me how to be livin'. Merle did it all the damn time. "Little brother, you gonna come keep me company, the man that saved you?" I can still hear him talkin' to me, and I hate it. As much as he means to me, I think it'd be different if more people cared about me than just him.

"Aye girl! It's time for you a real drink!"

She looked at me with curiosity. "What is it, like moonshine or something?"

I pulled some of the jars outta the shed and brought them on the porch. We did the normal walker check, and only found one of the little bastards. So, we brought the shine inside, and while the youngin dug in, I started to set up camp.

"You not gonna drink with me?" she asked.

"Naw girl, somebody's gotta keep watch." I felt like it was my duty to protect her, since I couldn't help nobody else. She was my responsibility now, she's too damn nice to be on her own anyways.

"Daryyylll, come drink with me!" She was startin' to get a little tipsy, and I decided a few sips wouldn't hurt nothin'. I missed drinkin' shine anyways.

I sat down in the big recliner chair and grabbed me a jar. Beth looked at me for a while, and finally broke the silence.

"Let's play a drinking game! Some of my friends showed me back when things were normal. I never played, I just watched. Daddy would kill me if he caught me drinking like this! It's kinda fun, ya know, being bad!"

"I ain't playin' no damn drinkin' game! How old do you think I am?"

"Come onnnn! It's gonna be fun! Look here's how it works, I'll say something that I've never done, and if you've done it, you drink! Okay I'll start! I've never done anything like this before now."

I lift up the jar to my mouth, and drink a swig. It burns goin' down my throat, but I enjoy it.

"Okay now it's your turn, Daryl!"

"Alright, I ain't never been on vacation. Ya know, like to the beach, or mountains or whatever."

Beth takes a drink. "But wouldn't hunting and camping be a vacation?" she asked.

"No girl, I did that to survive. Not to have fun... Alright it's your turn. Go."

"Alright! I have never been to prison. I mean like being a criminal."

I was furious! "Is that what you think of me?! That I'm some redneck piece of trash? You drink to that one! I ain't never been to jail!"

Beth looks at me in horror. "Shh sh! You gotta stay quiet, Daryl! The walkers will show up!"

"Damn it Beth! I don't even care! You can handle it, you said so yourself! Come here! Let's go see how well you can handle yourself!"

I grabbed her by the wrists and dragged her outside.

"Let's see how tough you are girl. Here, get this walker!" I shoved her out of the way, and pinned the lone walker to an electric pole with an arrow.

"Grab the bow, girl! Shoot the walker!" She was hysterical.

"Daryl stop! I don't want to do this! You're drunk! Just go inside! Stop!"

"There's lots a things I don't wanna do girl! I don't wanna be on the run anymore! I don't wanna think about all the people we lost. There's somethin' that I coulda done, and I didn't! I just let your daddy die... He was a good man and didn't deserve that! I feel like I coulda saved him if I had the chance.. But the stupid sonovabitch Governor had to just take his life." I was cryin', and I knew I had to stop, but Beth snuck up behind me and wrapped her little arms around me and tried to comfort me.

"Daryl, none of this was your fault. There was nothing you could've done. Stop thinking that this is all your fault because it's not! You're a good person!"

We sat there for a good couple of minutes. I don't think I ever wanna leave those arms. I'd never been comforted like that before. Not by Merle. Not by Carol. With Beth, it felt like a home I never had.

We made our way to the front porch, and Beth took her seat.

"You coulda told me you were a mean drunk," she joked.

I couldn't tell her what I was feelin'. Hell, I couldn't even tell myself what I was feelin'. So we just laughed and joked on that piece of shit porch.

After a while, she looks at me and says a few things that will forever stick out in my mind. "Daryl you're gonna be the last man standing!"

"Whattar you talkin' bout girl?"

"Look at you! You're ultimate survivorman! You got your crossbow, and you're motorcycle. You're totally badass."

I couldn't really believe that, I thought I was just livin' day by day, not bein' a badass."

A few minutes later, she looks at me again. "You're gonna miss me when I'm gone Dixon."

You're damn right I will...

"Daryl, I have an idea! Screw it, let's burn down this shithole!"

I kinda looked at her like she was crazy, but gave in. Who doesn't like a little bit of arson now and again!

I spread that money all over that house, while Beth went around pourin' the remainder of the moonshine everywhere. We walked through the front door and I threw down a lit match. As we were walkin' away, Beth stops me, and she starts flickin' off the house. I looked at her like she was a goddess. She hits me, and I start flickin' off the house too. Everything about that day was perfect, just like her...

**So there it is! The first sign of any romantic interest between the two! I hope you enjoyed it! More chapters to come!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I want to thank you guys for reading! Review for me, cause I love feedback! And if you have any ideas, I may consider them for future chapters! :)**

Today, I think I finally broke Daryl Dixon. We talked for hours, unlike anything before. He looked at me like what I had to say mattered, not that I was too young to understand. I didn't know that under all that tough, there was an actual pure, good heart. I felt equal when I was with him.

I meant what I said when I said that he's gonna be the last one standing. He's strong, and he's a fighter. He won't back down.. I know he won't!

We walked for a while trying to find a new place to set up. Through the woods, you could hear the moans.. A herd was right on us. Daryl grabbed my hand and pulled me to a road. There he found a car, and he opened the trunk. "Get in Beth!" He told me. I climbed in, and he followed, closing the trunk behind him. It was hot in there, and I was scared to death. It was a living nightmare. All of the walkers were beating down on the trunk, and didn't stop until a few hours later. Daryl peeked out through the trunk, and hopped out. He grabbed my hand and helped pull me out. Being free was a luxury!

We continued through the woods so that we had cover. The walking always seems endless. Neither of us barely talked until I got the guts to ask him something I wanted to for the past few miles.

"Daryl, can you teach me how to hunt and track? I mean like, I just want to be able to manage on my own, if something were to happen. I mean it's not that I don't want you around... Cause I do! I just wanted to know.."

"Yeah girl, whatcha wanna learn first?"

I was ecstatic! "Uhh, maybe tracking, so we can find the others!"

From there, Daryl explained that to track, you had to pay attention to the small, almost always over looked details. I got started on a trail of something a few minutes later.

"Okay, the path is all over the place with human tracks. It must be either a drunk person or a walker!"

"That one was easy girl! You try trackin' a rabbit or a deer! Them suckers are faster than walkers!" For a minute I thought Daryl was almost proud of me!

We both continued to follow the path until we found the fella! He was in the middle of a greenfield, eating a rabbit.

"Hold up Beth, this looks a little suspicious.." Daryl looked all around for anything to be out of each, and then said, "Alright girl, here's what you're gonna do. I'm gonna give you my crossbow, and tell you how to work it, forreal this time. Then, you're gonna pop the bastard in the head."

I looked at him with confidence. I could do this, I know I could! It's simple! He handed me the crossbow, already loaded, and I began inching forward to the walker. As I was walking, I heard a huge crack, and I felt immediate pain. The walker started running towards me, but I couldn't move! My boot was trapped in something! "Daryl! Help!" He came running over, grabbed the bow, and killed the walker. Then, without hesitation, he ran over to me, and helped release my foot.

"Damn it! I knew there was somethin' fishy bout this place.. Ya got your foot caught in a bear trap Beth, but luckily it looks like there's nothin' broke."

He helped me up, and I tried to walk, but all I felt was an excruciating pain down my leg. I hated to be pouty, I mean Daryl got thrown off a horse, down a hill, into a creek, fought off two walkers, climbed back up the hill, only resulting in him falling back down it, landing on an arrow, and then proceeded to walk back to the farm, and I'm sitting here complaining about a sore ankle. Daryl stops, and tells me to get on his back. "We ain't never gonna get no where with you hobblin' like that! Hop on! This is a serious piggy back!" He carried me into a graveyard, and on the other side, there was a little white house. We traveled through the graves, and I was looking at every one of them. I poked Daryl in the back, and told him to stop. Right in front of me stood a gravestone that read 'Beloved Father'. I choked up, and Daryl grabbed some wildflowers to place on the grave. I gave him a huge hug, because his small gesture really meant the world to me. I grabbed his hand, and we walked together to this house.

Daryl again was apprehensive about this house. I reassured him, telling him that there were still good people in the world, and I don't think he was convinced.

When we opened the door to the house, it was immaculate. There was no speck of dust to be found.. Someone has had to be in this house recently.. With further exploration, we discovered full cabinets, featuring foods such as peanut butter and pigs feet and cola.

We both looked at each other as if we had never seen these things before. It was a special treat.

"Daryl, we will eat some of it and then leave the rest for whoever lives here. And I will write them a thank you note." Daryl stopped what he was doing and just looked at me. "So you do think that there's still good people around. Well, what changed you're mind?"

"Ya know."

"What? Don't 'I dunno'. What changed your mind?" He looked at me, and it felt like he was looking right through me. "...Oh..." I'm the good person...

After a full meal, Daryl and I explored the rest of the house. He carried me into the parlor, and a piano was in there! Oh, how I had missed mine back on the farm! I sat down, and Daryl climbed into the casket, and I began to play and sing. "I thought you said my singing annoyed you?" I asked.

"Well I don't see no juke box around here," he joked. "Keep playing."

I played for atleast thirty minutes until I was starting to get tired. He hopped out of the casket and carried me upstairs, hoping to find me a room. There was three to choose from. I picked the middle one, the one with the softest bed, and the prettiest decor. After I was settled, Daryl turned around to leave. "Wait!" I called out. "Come sleep with me tonight. I really don't like being alone in this weird house. We secured the house earlier so we should be alright! Pleaseeee!"

He looked at me. "Okay girl. Just for tonight." He climbed into the big bed right next to me, and I snuggled in real close to him. I grabbed his arm and put it over the top of me. At first he pulled back, but he soon relaxed. At that moment, I felt like nothing could ever go wrong. I just wanted to lay there with him and forget everything. Everything was were it needed to be when I was in his arms. If only he knew how I felt... Maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way..

**More romance to come in later chapters, but we all know what happens next... **


End file.
